Pavillon, Zurich Restaurant Review

Located at Baur au Lac, the Pavillon is one of Zurich’s most elegant and sophisticated restaurants. Decorated with one Michelin Star, it is a fine dining restaurant in its most classic sense. In an era where chefs fiercely compete for the next culinary trend or an additional Michelin star , the Pavillon seems unimpressed by all external trends. Instead, it stays true to its classic French theme.

The ambiance

As the name suggests, the dining room is in fact a pavilion kept in pastel colors with a cream  colored carpet. The dining room which can host roughly 25 guests is harmonic both in the arrangement of color and furniture.  Nothing is out of place, the atmosphere is relaxed and staff is very attentive.

The menu

The restaurant offers an a la carte menu and a set menu which can be ordered in various combinations and with or without wine pairing.

We opt for the 3 course Goa menu and start off with a variety of amuse bouches which include a tuna tartar, pastry with cream cheese and an assortment of bread. As we are not crazy about the main course on the menu with decide to go for two starters instead and are served a potato salad with black truffle which does not enthuse our taste buds as much as had hoped for as the combination of truffle and potatoes leads to a somewhat acid taste. We continue with a delicious Dublin Bay prawn, leek tapioca and black boudin. We conclude our dinner with a desert of Pineapple sticks and bisquit dacquois with coconut and a cream of Guanaja chocolate. The desert is solidly prepared however nothing very special in my view.

The service:

Most waiters at the Pavillon are French speaking to complete the restaurant’s French theme. The service is attentive however a tad stiff at times.

Conclusion:

The Pavilion is refreshingly old fashioned in its approach of fine dining and therefore truly authentic.  Given its overall set up I’d call this restaurant a safe choice for special  or more formal occasions such as a high level business dinner rather than a relaxed evening with your loved one.